Tongue piercing blamed in Israeli soldier death

JERUSALEM (AP) -- An Israeli hospital is blaming complications stemming from a tongue piercing for the death of a 20-year-old soldier.

Rambam Hospital spokesman David Ratner says the soldier collapsed in July a few days after having his tongue pierced. Ratner says doctors determined the piercing caused a rare brain infection.

He said the soldier spent a month in intensive care, was transferred to a smaller hospital to recover, then collapsed again over the weekend. The 20-year-old soldier returned to Rambam, was diagnosed with liver failure and died early Sunday.

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